My Boggart
by TheHopelessRomantic24
Summary: Why does Draco Malfoy hate Professor Lupin? What is his worst fear? NO longer a short little one shot
1. Chapter 1

_**This idea came to me while reading POA and it provided a good outlet while I struggled with writers block on some Dramione stories I'm writing. It's very short because I wanted it to be, I think this idea would only work with a short story, it's actually more an explanation. I hope you like it. **_

Many people wondered why I loathed Professor Lupin, but they all came up with answers like "the Gryffindors like him,", "he's shabby" or "he's nice to Potter". I let them all believe it, even throwing in some snide remarks along these lines to throw them off the scent. The truth was it was none of these, not even close actually.

It all started in our first Defence against the dark arts lesson. This was one of the only lessons we didn't share with the Gryffindors, so I got a break from the terrible trio and their permanent whining. Contrary to common belief I was actually looking forward to this lesson, anything was better than that stuttering fool Quirrell or the pompous idiot Lockhart. Sure Lupin looked terrible but everybody else had been raving about his lessons so I had high hopes for this one. It wasn't until he came into the classroom and announced that we would be going to the dungeons to tackle a boggart that the hate started.

I knew what a boggart was; the manor was so large we usually had at least 3 or 4 in residence at one time so I knew how to tackle one. I knew that all it took was laughter and a small simple charm, it wasn't rocket science (a muggle saying I had heard Granger using on Weasley about charms homework), but I was scared stiff. The thing I feared the most would appear in that dungeon, the thing which I never wanted to see or confront and the thing that nobody could ever know about.

So when Lupin called for a line to tackle the boggart I went straight to the back, followed by my "cronies" as everyone called them. Of course I made some shit excuse about how "Any first year can handle a boggart, how sad he thinks this is challenging" giving my signature smirk for good measure to try and prove that I was not bothered about a stupid boggart when really I was shaking inside. What if it doesn't go before my turn? What if everyone saw my boggart? What am I going to do?

I don't believe in luck, I believe in strategic planning and intelligence to get me through all situations. But that lesson I was damn lucky. This boggart seemed particularly strong, lasting almost the whole way through the line until Blaise who was only 2 people in front of me. He stood there proud and tall while the boggart transformed into a man I immediately recognised as Blaise's father. Blaise didn't have any obvious fears, his father was showing his fear of his mother being hurt again, and I had never felt so prouder of my friend until he calmly spoke "Riddikulus" and the tall figure shrunk down, small enough so that Blaise could have crushed him with one finger. Then he started laughing at it. A loud, proud, if slightly maniacal laugh that caused the Boggart to explode into wisps of smoke.

"Excellent 5 points to anybody who handled the Boggart" Lupin said and left the dungeon. The room descended into chatter as Blaise stood facing his long disappeared opponent.

"You alright mate?" I asked,

"Bastard had it coming" he said smiling and left. I smiled at thin air, partly because of Blaise, mostly because I didn't have to face the boggart.

The hate became fully fledged loathing when the end of year exams started. I was doing brilliantly, only being beaten by Granger when the Defence against the Dark arts exam came. Of course it was easy until the end, everything bad always happens at the end. I knew when I climbed into the old trunk with a boggart that things were going to go wrong. I didn't realise how wrong until I collapsed on the floor of the trunk sobbing in front of it. All reasonable thoughts had left my head; I couldn't remember my own name so how the hell I would be able to remember the spell was beyond me.

After 10 minutes Lupin jumped into the trunk to see what the hell had happened to me. What he found would stay with him forever, and was what made me loath him so deeply.

What Professor Lupin found was the proud pureblood Draco Malfoy sobbing on the floor in front of his worst fear, the dead figure of the muggle born Hermione Granger.

_**What do you think? Please review and let me know, no flames please.**_

_**Keep Smiling **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ok so had some requests for a second chapter, so this is hopefully ok. Thanks to all the reviewers, it really made me smile. This is my second idea on this chapter, which is one reason it has taken so long. Hope you like it.**_

_**HPOV**_

I don't generally keep many secrets, I mean I don't tell Harry and Ron everything of course, that would be pointless, but Ginny knows most things so it wasn't really necessary to keep many things close. Except one thing, there was one thing which I couldn't tell anybody under any circumstances. Hell I didn't even like thinking about it myself, it made me feel vulnerable and stupid, like a typical teenager usually feels, I seem to have skipped that stage thanks to Harry and Voldermort, I had not time to be vulnerable and I'm not stupid.

It became the bane of my life after third year, when I became aware of the flaw in my life. For two years we had learnt next to nothing in defence against the dark arts and even I had admitted that Lockhart was a bad teacher, as much as that hurt, so I was thrilled to discover that we were being taught by Professor Lupin, especially after his magic on the train.

The lesson was a step up, that wasn't saying much though, and despite Professor Lupin's weird behaviour towards Harry and his boggart (I had a theory), everyone was impressed and although I thought it was kinda cool I was still upset, I would have given my right arm to have a go at that boggart, I wanted the practice and of course it would come up on our exam. Thought it wasn't any use complaining to Harry and Ron about it because of course they couldn't see what I was worried about, they never did really.

That really was the best thing that could have happened in that lesson, little did I know at the time.

I really wish that I could say that the rest of that year was uneventful, but with Harry as a friend it was never going to be. With my time turner, Buckbeak and Sirius Black I had no time left to worry about my boggart and how I had never faced one before.

The only other bane of my life was Draco Malfoy. What can I say about Draco Malfoy? He is a slime ball, a tall pureblood idiot who thinks he is being smart when he calls me mudblood and insults my family. It doesn't bother me, if he thinks he's being cool then it just shows how many brain cells he actually possesses. The last count I think came to 4. All he cares about is girls, sex and dark magic. We are complete polar opposites which could be why I ended up punching him in third year, but that has nothing to do with this story. Malfoy was acting like a prizewinning dick, it was his fault that Buckbeak was up for execution, it was his fault that Hagrid was at risk of losing his job and it was his fault that I spent most of my lessons steaming silently about some back handed comment he had made. In short I hated Draco Malfoy with every fibre of my being. Anyway I digress.

When it came up to exams I was more than a little stressed, DADA was one of my last exams so all the stress from the others was building up towards it, and I knew that if anybody so much as said something slightly antagonising I would snap, this meant I was avoiding Malfoy like the plague, I didn't have time for him. Professor Lupin, thankfully, gave us an obstacle course, which I thought was incredibly clever for an exam, especially considering how hot it was inside!

The course was easy; I practically skipped round until the old trunk and the boggart. That damn boggart. I expected to find something horrible like Ron and Harry dead, or a failed exam paper, but what I found was much worse. The boggart transformed into something which I never expected and something that hit me like a ton of bricks.

After about five minutes I managed to emerge from the trunk, sobbing hysterically but with a firmly fixed fake boggart to explain my now fully fledged breakdown and although it was a stupid excuse, one which made Harry and Ron laugh and even made Professor Lupin chuckle, it meant that nobody knew the truth, except I always suspected that Lupin knew something was wrong with my boggart but he would never find out the truth, he would never find out why I avoid tackling boggarts and if I have to why I tackle them on my own.

Nobody would ever find out that whenever I face one of those damn creatures Draco Malfoy appears in front of me, with a look of pure ice and loathing, coldly repeating,

"Why would I ever love you? An ugly bucktoothed Mudblood like you? I will never love you" over and over again until it echoes through my mind and tears apart my heart and soul, piece by piece.

**So I'm not sure if I'm entirely happy with it but I have decided to publish it because otherwise I will keep putting it off forever. Please review and let me know if you want another chapter, plus they just make me happy!**

**Keep Smiling **


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is another chapter; I am so sorry for the long wait! I never intended this story to be more than 1 chapter, then 2 and now I might as well carry it on! The reviews are incredible, you all make me smile so much! Now then please read this THEN READ THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM! YOU MUST! This chapter will be multi POV, hope its ok **

_DPOV_

I walked quickly through the stone corridors, wrapping myself in my cloak. No matter how much has changed, Hogwarts will always be freezing in winter; it's a cardinal rule that cannot be broken. A few first years scuttled past me, looking at the floor because I was the scary ex death eater of 8th year. I had decided to come back after the war, I needed my education and frankly I wasn't ready to face the outside world just yet. Some people had forgiven, Potter had saved me and my family from going to Azkaban, some people had forgotten out of fear but some remembered and held grudges. So I kept my head down, not drawing attention to myself, although I did still notice that whenever I entered the great hall a small sigh seemed to escape every girl. I was still a god. Actually every girl except for one, the one I really wanted to sigh after me.

Now I'm not stupid, I have never been stupid, but sometimes I can be really dumb. This was one of these times. I was not really concentrating on where the hell I was going, so I didn't notice the classroom, or the open door. I didn't actually notice anything till it had slammed shut behind me.

_HPOV_

Those stupid, lousy, rotten, self –serving idiots! I ranted to myself as I stormed down endless Hogwarts corridors. I don't care if Harry saved the world, or that Ron helped, I was not doing their transfiguration homework. After coming back to Hogwarts I thought things would change, Harry and Ron had chosen to come back as well, so I assumed (like an idiot) that they would be doing their own work. Unfortunately some of the first words out of Ron's mouth were

"Mione I can't do this essay…" from that day onwards I had put my foot down, I would not help them. Which had led to today's argument from Ron which was

"You just won't help me because you still love me" to which I had slapped him and stormed out. I had dumped Ron not the other way around so how he came up with that really stumps me.

The next thing I knew a door was slamming behind me and I was stuck in a classroom with none other than my worst enemy, the bane of my life, and the boy who I loved dearly, Draco Malfoy. Oh shit.

"What the hell are you doing in here Granger?" he sneered from his seat upon a desk,

"I could ask you the same thing Malfoy" I sneered back, my heart pounding against my chest. He looked down at the desk and mumbled something,

"Sorry Malfoy what was that?" I asked innocently,

"The door won't open" he huffed, refusing to look at me. I laughed and turned round to it, twisting the handle and pulling it open. Except it didn't open. It didn't budge. I huffed and tried Alohamora but it still wouldn't open. Malfoy watched me with amusement until he said,

"Satisfied Granger? We're stuck" I heard him chuckle and whipped round to have a fit at him, when I saw the other door.

"Is that one locked too then?" I asked,

"I don't know" he replied.

"What do you mean, you don't know? Haven't you even tried?" he shook his head,

"Why not?" I demanded, and again he mumbled at the desk,

"Honestly Malfoy did your mother never teach you not to mumble" I shot at him, this was bloody ridiculous,

"The cupboard has a boggart in it" he said quietly. That was when my heart turned to ice. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit and shit again. Anything but a boggart, I could cope with another Lord Voldemort but not a boggart. The cupboard was situated right at the side of the door, I couldn't creep around it, and I couldn't avoid it. If I wanted to get out of this classroom I had to go past the cupboard, and the boggart. Shit.

"Well then why don't you deal with it Malfoy?" I tried to sound annoyed even nonchalant, but I actually sounded scared and needy. Brilliant, just brilliant.

"Why don't you Granger?" He shot back, his voice sounding exactly like mine. Great here we were, the smartest pupil in the school and the second smartest pupil in the school, both able to tackle dark and dangerous magic, but a flipping boggart has us both stumped. Fate is a bitch.

So I sat on a desk, as far as I could away from Malfoy, and stared at the floor. Both of us were silent, and this lasted for about 30 minutes until I finally cracked,

"Will you please just man up and deal with the damn boggart?" I demanded, yes I was a bitch too apparently,

"I wouldn't want to deprive you of this chance to practice Granger?" he sneered back,

"I think you need it more than I do"

"really"

"really!" I replied and looked back down again,

"God Weasley was well shot of you Granger, I might actually have to congratulate him" he sneered at me and I felt something snap. I leapt up and stormed over to Malfoy and slapped him straight across the face leaving a very satisfying red hand mark.

"Why don't you just jump off a cliff Malfoy? Nobody cares about you, nobody likes you. I don't think I could ever hate anybody more than I hate you, and that's against Umbridge and Voldemort. They don't even come close to how much I loathe you. You are the slime of the earth who should be rotting in a cell" I yelled at his stunned face and I went to march out the room.

Unfortunately I forgot the small issue of the boggart and as I strode past the cupboard to wrench the door open, the cupboard door swung open and to my utter dismay, Draco Malfoy walked out tall, sneering and utterly god like. My blood ran cold and I turned to see the real Draco Malfoy, staring at me and the boggart, his face impossible to read as it started repeating,

"Why would I ever love you? An ugly bucktoothed Mudblood like you? I will never love you"

Tears started running down my cheeks as I faced my worst fear. I stared at Malfoy who stared back at me. I met his eyes as he stood by the desk, while my boggart stood shouting at me. Malfoy started to open his mouth but I couldn't hear it. I turned and ran out of the room, away from them both, tears blinding every step I took.

**So what do you think? This was really difficult to write, I didn't know when to set it or anything so I hope it was ok. Ok so this is VERY IMPORTANT! On my page there is a poll, it is VITAL you vote, I need your help in deciding where you want this story set, I can either carry it on at Hogwarts or set it in the future when they are adults, it is up to you. I am not sure which so I am leaving it up to YOU the readers! The poll will close when there are sufficient votes and when I start writing the next chapter. I don't know when that will be as I am very busy atm. **

**Thank you for reading, please review and VOTE!**

**Keep smiling **


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, just simply wow. Your response has just been amazing, its really made me smile. So you voted and the results…..AT HOGWARTS! It kinda had to be didn't it? Ok so many thanks to all reviewers, I had an idea for spikeecat which just caught my imagination slightly, so there is a mention of that in here. I would also like to apologize for two things, 1) I'm sorry its taken so long! I have had major writers block and then the security on my netbook messed up so I haven't been on the internet, 2) that this story was under 'complete', the reason being as it was originally posted as a one-shot, then when I carried it on I just forgot to change it, I have had a few people panicking that I was going to finish it after the last chapter! NEVER FEAR I will never finish a story like that, I'm too damn romantic! Anyway, again its multi view so that I could make this chapter longer. Enjoy!**

**DPOV**

"Why would I ever love you? An ugly bucktoothed Mudblood like you? I will never love you"

The words echoed through my head as I watched the most beautiful girl in the world run out of the room away from me. I had wanted to say something, but for once I was speechless. I had never hoped that my feelings were reciprocated, I mean I was a prizing winning idiot to her I would understand if she knocked me out and then crucioed me for the way I have treated her, 'which is probably why she ran away from you' a little annoying voice in my head said, sounding almost smug.

I sighed and sat down on a desk, looking at the dead Hermione Granger laying at my feet. I sat there for a long time going through every single possibility in my head, I even though of running after her, cupboard in tow but rethought the ideas when a nasty vision of Professor McGonagall appeared in my head asking "and where Mr Malfoy are you dragging this cupboard in such a hurry?" It would not be good. This required some serious thinking and some serious planning, I was planning on winning over Hermione Granger. This had to be big.

**HPOV**

I couldn't believe it, I just couldn't believe it. I had been so careful, I had never let anyone see my boggart, I had been so careful it had boarded on paranoia, so why on earth did it have to appear in front of him! Fate was cruel and a downright bitch.

I ran through the school, ignoring the looks I was getting from the few pupils who were still up, and into the common room which was surprisingly empty. I threw myself onto a sofa and sobbed my heart out, letting every piece of sadness out in gasps that racked my entire body, and then when I could cry no more I simply dry heaved into the fabric. I tried to stop myself and whenever I nearly managed to trap all the emotions in a box in the back of my mind, the picture of Draco's face when my boggart appeared would float into focus and cause the box to burst back open and the heaving to start again. Time disappeared and I sobbed until a gentle hand came and placed itself on my back, rubbing up and down comfortingly. I sat up slowly after a few minutes, thinking that the hand belonged to Harry or Ginny, and almost fell off the sofa in shock at seeing Neville Longbottom bending down next to me, watching me with a concerned look in his eyes. He smiled at me gently, not saying a word,

"Neville?" I asked, my voice coming out in a croak I barely recognised,

"HI Hermione" he said gently,

"What….What are you doing?" I sat up, rubbing the tears out of my eyes. Neville was like a brother to me, the small geeky child of my youth had grown into a tall, ruggid handsome man who stood up to Voldemort against all odds and pain. Despite his sweet nature, I was still surprised at the fact it was Neville sat there,

"I'm being comforting" he said, a slight hint of humour in his voice. I laughed at the simpleness of his answer and let him pull me into a hug. It wasn't sexual in any way, it was the sort of hug I had with Harry, one that simply said "I'm here for you, you'll always be ok with me". We stood there for a few minutes, Neville with his arms wrapped tight around me and my head lying on his chest, not saying anything even though I knew he wanted to know what had caused me to have such a meltdown. Eventually I pulled away, Neville letting me go easily and we sat down on the sofa I had recently been spilling my soul into,

"I guess you want to know what was wrong." I asked quietly, watching him. Neville looked at me and smiled,

"I don't mind Hermione, if you don't want to tell me that's ok". I smiled at him again and knew that I would tell him, somebody needed to know. So I started my story. I told him about how I had had loathed Draco with all of my soul, how his horrible words had always hit me and hurt me. Then I told him how in third year I realised the true extent of my feelings, that they weren't hate at all, that I had actually completely fallen for my arch enemy, Draco Malfoy. I told Neville about the boggart, how I had hidden it from everyone, how I had cried for days when I saw that he was a death eater, how when we had been captured by snatchers I had seen a shell of a man, the arrogant boy from my childhood had disappeared, his soul appeared to have been stolen and when he looked at me, the molten silver eyes that used to be full of so much passion were dead. I then told him about the final battle, and about how when we came back to school I saw the soul returning to him. Finally I told him about the classroom, the cupboard, the boggart and Draco. As I told him why I ran out the room my voice caught and Neville put his arm around me and stayed quiet until I finished my story. The room stayed silent for a few minutes until he finally spoke,

"Well then I guess you need my help then" he said, causing me to start,

"Wh…...What?" I stuttered, Neville hated Draco just as much as anybody else,

"I said you need me help" he smiled and I must have still looked dumbfounded because he laughed and carried on,

"Look Hermione, I may not like him, but I don't hate him anymore. After the war I saw that shell of a human being too, he had it harder than I did. The way I see it, you two complement each other perfectly, you two need each other. You both have so much passion and such dominant personalities that anybody weaker would stand no chance, you both need someone who is going to tell you to 'shut up and sit down' rather than let you carry on. The way I see it, the only way either on you is going to start properly healing after the war is if you've got each other. So I need to help you sort this out" he finished, looking at me intently. I just stared back, my mouth open, my mind still not quite processing what Neville had just said. Then he smiled at me and I smiled back, then we started laughing and carried on for a while. Eventually we stopped and I turned to him and said,

"OK then cupid, how the hell do you solve this one?"

**So yes it is short, but I felt like that was a good place to finish it. What do you think of Neville? I think he's kind of adorable really. His take on Hermione and Draco is mine, they are both so dominant that anybody weak won't satisfy them. I am the same, which is why I have problems with my relationships. Right so please review and tell me what you think Draco should do? How should he solve this problem, or should Neville sweep in and save the say? TELL ME!**

**Keep smiling **


	5. Chapter 5

**I'M SO SORRY! I am not going to tell you a bunch of excuses, life is a bit of a bitch sometimes huh? Here it is, I have to say a very special thank you to who emailed me stating that "There is no way it is finished"****and has since been a bit of a wall to bounce ideas off and has contributed some of his own! I really hope this doesn't disappoint you it was really hard to write.**

**DPOV**

7 days since that day, 7 days 4 hours since that cupboard door sprang open, 7days 4 hours 32 minutes since that boggart had revealed her true feelings, 7 days 4 hours 32 minutes and 12 seconds since the girl I love ran from me. Not that I've been counting or anything. Ever since then I have been wracking my considerable brain trying to find a way of not only showing her my feelings but proving them to her because she doesn't trust me yet.

I had gone through every single possibility in my head, every wizarding book possible, even the witch weekly romance novels my mother used to read (now that was an eye opener), and yes the great Draco Malfoy had even bought a muggle teen magazine in search of finding the perfect way of winning her back. Flowers, chocolates and tattoos were all far to cliché, grabbing her and kidnapping her from the hall seemed a bit too rough (and probably wouldn't help my case any way) and simply telling her would be unbelievably anti-climactic.

Eventually I decided that because a boggart had shown her feelings it would only be fitting that she find out the same way. I also decided, in a fit of madness, that it had to be public. I was a Malfoy and Malfoys never do anything half way. Of course this meant that I would also be making my feelings public, risking humiliation and rejection. My father would find out very quickly and my life would probably turn upside down. That Weasley might even try and fight me because it was obvious he still had feelings for Hermione, even if she didn't like him in return. Potter would….well Potter is the enigma, I have no clue how he would react. He probably wouldn't try and hurt me (although I'm not entirely sure) but he might not be too keen on it, whether he would let it affect her decision was a different matter, Potter may be a fool but he is not as selfish as Weasley.

My friends would pose another problem. Pansy can go hex herself, Crabbe and Goyle will not do anything, they don't have enough brain cells (and god I wish I was being mean) but Blaise was the one I cared about. He was my best friend, we had been through hell and high water together (literally on one occasion) and how he would react I do not know. He was pureblood but maybe not as obsessed with purity as most. I hoped he would be happy for me, but after a few hours thinking over it I decided something crucial, that if Hermione Granger can love me regardless of all I've done to her, to all that she has suffered because of me and my family then I don't give a hopping hippogriff what anybody else says, I can live with just her. As long as it's her.

The real catalyst moment was when I was stood with Blaise by the dungeons, bored. Pansy was stalking us again and this was the only place she wouldn't come complaining "the damp messes up my hair", personally I said anything was an improvement and got a pot thrown at me for good measure. That girl has a problem. We weren't actually talking, that's the great thing about Blaise he doesn't make you talk. I was still completely messed up over Hermione so talking wasn't really my strong point.

This silence changed when a certain Gryffindor walked past. Well I say walked, she saw me and practically sprinted, causing another break in my already shattered heart. The small, more cynical part of me was saying "great, how subtle". It only took a minute for Blaise to put two and two together. Unfortunately math is his strong point.

"You like Granger" it wasn't a question, it was a statement. To my surprise his voice held no malice, no disgust, it was like he was stating another fact in potions. There was no point denying it, Blaise was my best friend and he knows when I'm lying so I did the only thing I could,

"yes", what else could I say? One word which is so small almost made me choke. I stared at the floor, not wanting to meet his eyes. If I couldn't see his emotions, then I couldn't be hurt by them.

"You told her?"

"no" I expected a reply like "good" or "brilliant" but instead I got,

"You stupid dick," I snapped my head up to look at him,

"What?"

"You know that that half the male students in the school like her right? And I mean, she's gorgeous so man up and tell her already" he looked at me like it was simple, like I was an idiot and at those words I looked like one too, my mouth was hanging open and I just couldn't take in his words.

"But…" I started but Blaise interrupted me,

"If you're gonna spew some shit about her blood status and your father then I will jinx you Draco, who actually cares? Look what happened to our world when all that started to take over. It nearly destroyed wizards, it nearly killed you and her, so just shut up and get on with it already. Or I might ask her myself" he ranted. His words did make sense, even though I couldn't register them. We fell into silence as I mulled over his words. Then I started smiling as I saw his sense. He looked at me and saw the smile,

"Well there we go, you look like yourself again. So what's the plan?"

Plotting and planning with only get you so far, I had now hit the action part of the plan. Needless to say I was panicking, more than that actually, I felt like I was going to throw up. It was an alien feeling to me, I was a Malfoy, and Malfoys never panicked. I had barely slept last night and at around 3 o'clock this morning Blaise had thrown his shoe at me for, and I quote, "rolling around so bloody much that I was going to cause the bed to break".

The plan wasn't happening until the evening so I had an entire day of panicking. By lunch time I had been told off by 3 different teachers and accidentally shot a spell in transfiguration which caused the tables to grow legs and run out of the classroom; we had to spend the rest of the lesson rounding them up from the Quidditch pitch. Normally this would have been funny but McGonagall was in a terrible mood and I spent half an hour being lectured and being called "you blithering, blundering idiot!"

I had several major parts to my plan, the first part was Blaise, who had thrown a pot plant at me yesterday (I promise he is not generally a violent person) for going over the plan over and over and over again until he could recite it in his sleep. The second part was Hermione, which Blaise was responsible for (so I could blame him if this all went wrong) and the third part was all my responsibility so if that went wrong it was my fault. This was the part that was causing my current hyperventilation.

Have you noticed that when you're dreading something time seems to speed up? It felt like it had only been 2 minutes since I woke up and now it was time for supper, and the plan. We had decided the evening because it was the time when everyone was in the hall, at breakfast people eat in drips and drabs and some people just skipped lunch, but supper was something nobody (including the teachers) missed. The scene was set, the hall was packed and I was so very close to running away to Siberia and changing my name to Vladmir.

Nobody had any clue what was going to happen and as the time ticked on, I kept glancing at the doors. Potter and Weasley had arrived about 5 minutes ago without Hermione, so it was all going to plan. At 8 o'clock the clock chimed and my heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest but I had got this far so I wasn't about to back out now, all I could think about was Hermione's smile and the way her eyes lit up when she learnt something new or how when she laughed the whole room would light up. Suddenly picturing this all the fear disappeared and I knew that no matter what it took I would make her happy and she would smile at me that way.

I got up and went and stood in the middle of the hall, in between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. I noticed some people staring at me but right now I had so much adrenalin coursing through my body that I would probably be able to climb the walls. At exactly 8.02pm the hall doors opened and Blaise walked through followed by Hermione. I stepped forwards and saw her eyes widen in panic as she saw me.

"Hermione please wait" I said. Her breathing was heavy as she stood rooted to the spot staring at me, not moving finally giving me chance to explain myself. My throat was dry, my voice hoarse but I had to do this. I stretched out my wand and pointed at the cupboard hidden in the corner of the hall,

"Accio cupboard" her eyes widened further and she opened her mouth as if to say something but no words came out. The cupboard flew over the heads of the students and landed next to me causing gasps and exclamations to ring out around the room. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Longbottom place an arm in front of Weasley to keep him in place and made a mental note to thank him later. The room fell silent and I gulped, the panic suddenly returning.

"Hermione, didn't you know? Didn't you realise? You're the smartest witch of our age and yet you're so blind" my voice was low, practically a whisper but everyone heard me, "Did you never wonder why I was so horrible to you? Why it seemed to be my life's ambition to make you cry? Why I said such wretched things? You thought I hated you, didn't you?" she nodded, tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to tumble down her alabaster cheeks, " then explain to me why I always had a look of pain of my face when I saw how upset you were? Or why I never got you back for slapping me? Or why when my bitch of an aunt tortured you I never dropped your gaze, I never left you alone and I cried? Or when that bloody boggart burst out of that cupboard and showed me your fear I've not said one word or told the school?" at this the tears so long held in spilled onto her cheeks and I stepped an inch closer, " how did you never guess?" I whispered and pointed my wand at the cupboard again,

"Alohamora" the door burst open and the boggart appeared, first it was a zombie, then a giant rat and then as it scurried towards me the dead body of Hermione Granger. Gasps rang around the room as my boggart finally revealed itself but I didn't care, I only had eyes for the girl in front of me.

"It's because I love you" I finished stepping closer to her again, so that one step would bridge the separation between us. "I love you" I whispered again to her shocked face, tears pouring silently to the floor. The room fell silent for a moment, long enough for possible words of rejection to ring through my head a hundred times. Then she bridged the small gap between us throwing her arms around my neck and sobbing into my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around the warm body clinging to me and held her tightly, finally feeling completed for the first time in my life.

_**So what do you think? I really hope I've not disappointed you, I found this chapter really difficult to write and it has been re-written about 6 times. Please review!**_

_**Keep Smiling **_


	6. Chapter 6

**I am starting to think that I'm going to start every chapter with an apology for the update time so again I say I'm sorry. This chapter has taken so long because I just couldn't get it right so I hope its ok. Now I am also sorry to say that this is the last chapter of this story, I know I should have warned you but I hadn't decided myself but I decided that another chapter at Hogwarts would probably ruin the story so an Epilogue it is! **

**HPOV**

The barrier between platforms 9 and 10 at Kings Cross station never failed to make me smile; it brought back so many memories. My first year where a kindly witch helped me get onto the platform with my parents, to the many years I had arrived with the Weasleys. It hadn't changed in 19 years despite how drastically my life had changed. I looked across at Draco who smiled back at me, putting on a brave face like we had agreed, then down at the two children stood in between us. Scorpius looked exactly like his father, blonde hair and silver eyes along with the seekers build, while Georgiana favoured me more with her brown curly hair and brain (she already corrected her father) except she also had the molten silver orbs that made so many people melt. Draco had barely changed, he had filled out more but so far wasn't losing his hair and refused point blank to believe that he had put on any weight, it was one of the many things I liked to tease him with.

I took Georgiana's hand while Draco took our son's and we walked through the barrier to the platform where my life had truly begun. The Hogwarts express stood billowing smoke which obscured many of the faces surrounding us. We dodged and weaved between people, greeting anybody who recognised us.

"Mummy why can't I go to Hogwarts now?" Georgie asked, again.

"Because darling you're not old enough, in two years' time you'll go" I replied. On hearing this Draco smiled at me again sending his eyes highwards,

"Where are they dad?" Scorpius asked peering down the platform and through the crowds before letting out a whoop and running to meet the person he had just recognised. We followed to find him talking excitedly to his best friend, Albus Potter.

"Hermione" Ginny said and gave me a huge hug while Draco and Harry greeted each other with a warm handshake and then started talking quietly about something.

"Sweetheart what are you doing?" I asked

"Nothing dear" he replied, looking up too quickly with a look I recognised far too well.

"Draco…" I growled at my darling husband causing him to smile sheepishly at me.

"Well honey, Harry and I were just discussing about the boys at Hogwarts and who they are going to take after" he said innocently, shuffling his feet. I obviously didn't look convinced because he mumbled something underneath his breath,

"Sorry?"

"and maybe taking bets on which house they are going to be in" he tailed off quietly while taking great interest in the floor.

"WHAT!" Ginny burst out from beside me; Draco caught my eye and gave me a small grin,

"Harry Potter I cannot believe you would stoop so low as to take bets on our Childs future at Hogwarts, how dare you!" It was hard to believe how like Mrs Weasley Ginny had grown up to be.

"Gin I was just a joke, I don't care which house he's in" Harry said, trying to placate his wife whose face was now going up nicely in the scale of anger,

"Besides it was only 100 galleons" Draco piped up, winking at me cheekily,

"HARRY!"

"MALFOY!" Harry shouted at the same time causing my dearly beloved to burst out laughing. It didn't matter that he was no longer a teenager, Draco still acts younger than our children at times, but that's just one of the many reasons I love him. I was snapped out of my thoughts by a small hand pulling gently but insistently on my arm. Looking down I saw Scorpius with a look on him face I recognised far too well, the look his father gave when he was scared.

"Mum can I talk to you please" he said in a small voice and I looked briefly at Draco, conveying in one look what it would take other couples sentences to explain. I turned and crouched down to our sons height, taking in his expression and the tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"Whats wrong sweetheart?"

"I'm scared" he whispered, his voice barely any louder than a whisper of wind,

"Why?" I whispered back, taking his hand in mine

"What if I'm in the wrong house?" his fingers gripped mine tightly in an almost convulsive grip, one tear did spill from his eyes and it was then I knew what I had to say,

"Scorpius Abraxious Malfoy, I was Gryffindor you know that don't you?" he nodded slowly, "your father was a Slytherin, your godmother was a Ravenclaw and Tonks was a Hufflepuff." He tilted his head up and looked at me,

"It doesn't matter what house you're in, Tonks was one of the bravest people I ever met, Luna isone of the nicest and you father well, what can I say? No matter what people say about each house, for each bad point I can give you a good, for each bad person I can name you a better one" I stared at him intently watching the words sink in,

"Tonks was a hufflepuff?"

"Yes"

"And she was cool?" I laughed,

"She was the coolest, she used to have her hair pink and turn her nose into a snout for fun" I smiled, I had told the children about all of my old friends, and they loved the stories I told. Scorpius smiled at me,

"Thanks" he whispered, wiping the tear away from his cheek,

"now was that it?"

"no..." he trailed off and immediately I knew what was wrong,

"I will write to you every day if you want, Hagrid is always there and Professor Longbottom will always listen to you. You're not alone Scorpius" He looked at me for a moment before throwing his arms around my neck,

"I love you mum" he whispered into my ear,

"I love you too" I whispered back before standing up and giving him a secret wink. We turned back towards the Potters and saw that Harry had just had a very similar conversation with Albus. Both of the boys looked at each other and smiled, I pitied any teacher who had to deal with them, I remember many occasions where they had been to blame for 'issues' around the house including a rather amusing incident involving a bucket of water, ice cubes, paint and Draco. At least I found it funny.

The train gave a warning sound and we headed towards the train. All of my confidence had apparated away leaving a horrible feeling. Draco grabbed my hand and I could tell he felt exactly the same, Scorpius was the oldest and this was the first time I had seen my son off to school. Harry and Ginny had already sent James and no matter how reassuring Ginny had been, I felt sick to my stomach. We found an empty compartment and the boys settled down, leaning out the window to say goodbye. The train gave a final shriek and a look of panic crossed my sons face,

I gave him a hug, "Don't panic you'll be fine" he smiled at me weakly; Draco gave him another hug and whispered something in his ear which caused Scorpius to grin. The train started moving and I followed it to the end of the platform, watching my son disappear towards the school that had changed my life. I felt an arm snake around my waist and I leant into Draco, letting a small tear escape my eye.

"He'll be fine Hermione, he's just like you that way" he said comfortingly,

"What did you say to him?"

"I just told him that he would meet someone and love them just the way I love you" I turned and kissed him,

"Thank you". He took my hand and we walked towards The Potters, where Georgiana was talking to Lily about when they went to Hogwarts. I was so happy, I had two beautiful children, wonderful friends and a husband who I loved and who loved me unconditionally, then a thought made me giggle,

"Whats wrong love?" Draco asked

"Just think, this all started because of a Boggart".

**So I hope you like it, as I said at the beginning it wasn't easy to write, I'm not used to writing someone with an eastablished relationship. That is part of the reason this took so long, as well as the fact that I had exams in about a weeks time so you won't hear from me from a couple of weeks at least. I have a few ideas and a few stories started but none are anywhere near uploading yet, if anybody has an ideas/questions/requests then just pm me, even if you just want a chat. I just want to say thank you for the reviews and encouragement. **

**Keep Smiling **


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